Lychnis plant named ‘Pmoore05’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Lychnis , ‘Pmoore05’, that is characterized by its strong growth habit with a quicker time to produce a marketable plant, its flowers that are bright orange-red in color, its cold hardiness in U.S.D.A. Zone 4, and its ability to be readily propagated by stem cuttings.

Botanical classification: Lychnis×arkwrightii.

Cultivar designation: ‘Pmoore05’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lychnisplant, botanically known as Lychnis×arkwrightii ‘Pmoore05’ and will bereferred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Pmoore05’. The new cultivarrepresents a new herbaceous perennial grown for landscape use.

The new cultivar arose from a cross made by the Inventor in 2006 inStockbridge, United Kingdom between an unnamed and unpatented plant ofLychnis chalcedonica as the female parent and an unnamed and unpatentedplant of Lychnis haageana as the male parent. The Inventor selected‘Pmoore05’ as a single unique plant amongst the seedlings that resultedfrom the above cross in June of 2008.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stemcuttings in Stockbridge, United Kingdom in July of 2008 by the Inventor.Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined that thecharacteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced trueto type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Pmoore05’ as a unique cultivar of Lychnis.

-   -   1. ‘Pmoore05’ exhibits a strong growth habit and is quick to        produce a marketable plant.    -   2. ‘Pmoore05’ exhibits flowers that are bright orange-red in        color.    -   3. ‘Pmoore05’ is cold hardy in U.S.D.A. Zone 4.    -   4. ‘Pmoore05’ is readily propagated by stem cuttings.        The female parent of ‘Pmoore05’, an unnamed and unpatented plant        of Lychnis chalcedonica, differs from ‘Pmoore05’ in having a        slower growth habit with slower propagation, flowers that are        duller orange in color, in being taller in height, and in having        weaker overwintered plants. The male parent of ‘Pmoore05’, an        unnamed and unpatented plant of Lychnis haageana, differs from        ‘Pmoore05’ in having flowers that are duller orange in color,        foliage lacking a purple tinge, and in being less cold hardy.        ‘Pmoore05’ can be most closely compared to cultivars of        Lychnis×arkwrightii, ‘Vesuvius’ (not patented) and ‘Orange        Gnome’ (not patented). ‘Vesuvius’ differs from in having a less        compact plant habit (taller in height), in having flowers that        are duller orange in color, and in being slower to propagate by        cuttings. ‘Orange Gnome’ differs from in having a less compact        plant habit (taller in height) and in having flowers that are        duller orange in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Lychnis. The photographs weretaken of a one year-old plant of ‘Pmoore05’ as grown in a 5-litercontainer in IJsselstein, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 is a side view of a plant of ‘Pmoore05’ inbloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 is a close-up view of the flowers of‘Pmoore05’.

The colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Lychnis.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of two year-old plants of‘Pmoore05’ as field grown in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The phenotype ofthe new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic,and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance withThe 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London,England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Blooming period: 3 to 4 weeks in mid June in The Netherlands.-   Plant habit: Herbaceous perennial, upright.-   Height and spread: Reaches about 28.2 cm in height and about 19.8 cm    in spread.-   Cold hardiness: At least in U.S.D.A. Zone 4.-   Diseases and pests: Not more susceptible to pests and disease than    other Lychnis varieties, Lychnis is generally not prone to disease    problems.-   Root description: Fine, fibrous.-   Branching habit: Flowering stems branch freely from the basal    foliage.-   Growth and propagation:    -   -   Growth rate.—Vigorous for a Lychnis cultivar, grows an            average of 8 cm per month in spring.        -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings, fast to propagate by cuttings; a            salable plant can be produced from a cutting in about 6            months.        -   Root initiation.—Cuttings initiate roots in about 7 days.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem size.—Average of 20.7 cm in length and 2.5 mm in            diameter.        -   Stem shape.—Round.        -   Stem color.—Young stems; 144B, mature stems; 187A.        -   Stem surface.—Moderately glossy, densely covered in short            strigose hairs, 1 mm in length and NN155C in color.        -   Internode length.—An average of 2.9 cm.        -   Branching.—About 6 lateral branches.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Ovate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute to narrow acute.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, not conspicuous, upper side 200B to            200C, lower side 148B.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire, slightly wavy.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf surface.—Upper surface dull to very slightly glossy,            lower surface dull, both surfaces moderately covered with            short strigose hairs, 0.75 mm in length and NN155C in color.        -   Leaf color.—Mature upper surface; N137A, mature lower            surface; 148B, young upper surface; 146A, young lower            surface; 148B, slightly tinged 200C.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 8.1 cm in length and 3.7 cm in width.        -   Leaf quantity.—An average of 14 (7 pairs) per stem.        -   Leaf fragrance.—None.        -   Petiole.—V-shaped, average of 6 mm in width and 3 mm in            height, upper side 146C in color, lower side 178A in color.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Single flowers at lateral nodes and            corymbs on terminal of main stem.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Average of 10 days.        -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 5.3 cm in height and 7.2            cm in diameter.        -   Flower fragrance.—None.        -   Flower number.—Average of 4 per inflorescence, one            inflorescence per flowering stem.        -   Flower aspect.—Upright to slightly outward.        -   Flower bud.—An average of 2.4 cm in length and up to 7 mm in            width, obovate with short apiculate apex, color is 182B,            veined 183B, densely covered with strigose hairs an average            of 2 mm in length and 156D in color.        -   Flower form.—Salverform.        -   Flower size.—An average of 4.2 cm in diameter and 3.1 cm in            depth.        -   Petals.—5, rotate, upper surface dull and smooth, lower            surface velvety, un-fused but free petals are held together            by the calyx, spathulate shape, margins have one large tooth            on each side, deeply emarginated to lobed apex, 3.7 cm in            length and 2.1 cm in width, color when opening upper side;            between N30A and 33A, lower part (inside the calyx) 145B,            color when opening lower side; 34B to 34C, lower part            (inside the calyx) 145B, color when fully open upper side;            between N30B and 32A, lower part (inside the calyx) 145B,            color when fully open lower side; 34C, lower part (inside            the calyx) 145B, petals fading to 44A.        -   Calyx.—Campanulate in form, an average of 2.4 cm in length            and 1 cm in diameter.        -   Sepals.—5, rotate, both surfaces dull in appearance and            densely covered with strigose hairs, average length 2 mm and            156D in color, oblanceolate in shape, margins are fused into            a tubular shape, narrow apiculate apex, base is fused and            upper 25% is free, 2.4 cm in length and 4 mm in width, color            immature upper side 147C, color immature lower side 182B,            veined 183B, color mature upper side 147C, color mature            lower side 197A, tip and veins N199B.        -   Peduncles.—An average of 2 cm in length and diameter,            strong, average angle of 35° (40° straight upright),            puberulent surface and 147B to 147C in color.        -   Pedicels.—An average of 7 mm in length and 1.5 mm in            diameter, strong, average angle of 15° (0°=straight            upright), puberulent surface and 147B to 147C in color.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—5 pistils, 1.1 cm in length, stigma is            club-shaped and curled downward and NN155A in color, style            is 1 cm in length and color is NN155A, base 145D, ovary is            144A in color.        -   Androcoecium.—10 stamens, anthers are basifixed and broad            ovate in shape, 1 mm in length and 182B in color, filaments            are adnate to corolla, 1.4 cm in length, 0.5 mm in width,            and 182B in color, pollen is low and 156A in color.        -   Seeds and fruit.—Not observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lychnis plant named‘Pmoore05’ as herein illustrated and described.